1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to docking stations for handheld electronic devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a docking station with a recessed region for mounting an electronic device flush with an upper surface of the docking station for the purposes of providing digital signage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of docking stations exist today for portable electronic devices such as cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDA), media players (e.g., music player or video player), cameras, game player and the like. The docking stations are often provided for enabling communication between the portable electronic device and other electronic devices such as speakers, monitors, personal computers, and printers, without having to disconnect and reconnect cables.
By way of example, the iPod product line, which is manufactured by Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., includes functionality for outputting audio. However, the speakers built into the iPod products may be insufficient for some users in some scenarios. Accordingly, users may acquire a docking station which enables an iPod to be connected to larger speakers that provide a sufficient audio output for the given scenario.
In this sense, docking stations are often designed to enhance the functionality of the handheld electronic device. As a result, a common feature of known docking stations is that they are structured to enable access to functionality of the handheld electronic device. In this fashion, a user may exploit the functionality of the handheld electronic device and improve on that functionality by coupling the device to other electronic devices.
However, the design of such docking devices often fails to consider the aesthetic appeal of the handheld electronic device provided in combination with the docking device. Further, such docking devices are often designed for individual, not public, use.
In the realm of advertising, it is well-known to provide product advertising in various forms, such as via paper displays, television or other digital displays, billboards, and the like. Advertising via digital displays is typically provided by arbitrarily mounting the digital display in a high traffic (vehicular, pedestrian, and the like) area. A variety of products may then be advertised on the digital display.
However, product advertising via digital displays is often considered to be aesthetically displeasing. Further, there is a significant disconnect between the digital display and the products being advertised.